70s Fashion: Vintage Fashion and Beauty Ads (Icons)

Ed. Jim Heimann and Taschen have done it again! Like they did with 60s Fashion: Vintage Fashion and Beauty Ads (Taschen Icon Series), this small (approx. 6" X 8") book collects many of the ads from the 70s all in glorious color.

There's a intro by Laura Schooling, like in the "60s Fashion..." book, that describes what was going on during that decade to get readers up to speed on context. It's presented in English, German and French.

Having been a child of the 70s, I can't believe some of the clothes that passed as "fashion" at the time. The decade could be described with the three P's: Plaid, Polyester and Platforms. Of course I'd kill to have some of those outfits and shoes presented in 70S FASHION:VINTAGE FASHION AND BEAUTY ADS, now. And I'm sure vintage stores are selling those items at top dollar, today.

But readers will get a kick out of the hair, makeup and clothes that ruled the 70s, along with reading the ad copy; many of which include prices. There's ads from Montgomery Ward, Chanel, K-Mart, Levi's, Gucci, Sears and many more.

Some stand-out ads from the book that I just had to mention:

***PADRINO-1974-Shows a man in these fantastic platform shoes, skin-tight bell bottoms and a tight shirt.

***SUMMIT'S AFRYLIC WIGS-1971-Three different wigs created for black women and made from a "new" fiber called "Afrylic."

***DUKE POMADE-1972-Shows 13 different afro hair-styles for black men. Who knew there were so many ways to wear a "fro."

***JESUS JEANS-1976-"Thou shalt not have any jeans but me" is the tag line. Enough said

***MACHO COLOGNE(FABERGÉ)-1976-Tag line "Macho is B-A-A-A-D"


***REO-1978-A cologne that was marketed "exclusively" for gay men. That was bold back in '78.

***MALE BAG-1978-Marketing a "beauty" kit for men that included face powder, lash enhancer, concealer, and lip tint. The beginnings of the "metro-sexual" male.

And last but not least...wait for it...

***WATE-ON-1978-This was a product that helped you GAIN WEIGHT! Oh have times changed! LOL.

Anyway, that's just a small sampling of the many colorful ads that you'll find in this book. I can't wait for the 80s!

Although a brief look at 70s style, 70s Fashion is a good representation of the social environment during the 70s. A worthy investment for anyone collecting 70s nostaglia.

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